Ghosts of Yesterday
by Tonga
Summary: Ah, my long promised SW's fic... this takes place after VoF... before the NJO books... R/R!!!!!
1. Default Chapter

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Ah, welcome Star Wars fans one and all… this is the beginning of the Star Wars fic I have been promising… ;-) It's really short, because I really don't feel like fixing the rest of it right now, I'm sick.

I'll get more of it up if you want it… which means… REVIEW! ;-)

This takes place after 'Vision of the Future' but before any of the NJO books… which I haven't been keeping up with well…

It's not mine, it belongs to others! George Lucas, Zahn, various other ppl… you know the drill…

Ghosts of Yesterday

By Tonga

Another opinion was shouted across the council chambers, answered by yet another objection. This, former Imperial Admiral Pellaeon thought, was going to be a very long day. Then again everyday had been long since the New Republic and the Empire had signed the peace treaty. He was getting to know all about politics first hand, something that he really didn't want to understand. Yet Pellaeon knew that it was up to him to represent the Empire in the New Republic. All that was left was to the former Empire into the New Republic, a feat that seemed to be taking a long time and, if his suspicions were correct, would take a great deal more time. But politics weren't Pellaeon's gift, he hoped on the Emperor's grave that he was wrong.

So far this morning theory after theory had been turned down by another member's objections. It seemed that the Empire would have to bend over backwards to please half of the senators, while the other half were content and believed that the "Empire" should be gradually introduced to New Republic politics on Coruscant. 

One reason, Pellaeon thought grimly, that the Empire hadn't liked alien cultures. They were so fickle; it was next to impossible to bring the thousands of different viewpoints together for simple matters. Now here they were, trying to decide what the next step should be in the surrender of the Empire in a reasonable amount of time- impossible.

Pellaeon leaned forward to activate his area's privacy screen then keyed the comm to Senator Leia Organa Solo's frequency, glancing over at her as he did. She and a familiar red headed woman seemed to be deep into a conversation.

"Organa Solo." Leia's tired voice stated.

"This is Pellaeon. I was wondering if you had any idea on how much longer this is going to take, from a long standing senator's and Jedi's perspective that is." He added quickly.

"There is really no way to answer that," she answered her voice suddenly tight. "It could take weeks, even months. May I inquire as to why you ask?"

"I've never been involved in politics, I received orders and carried them out. I guess the answer to that would be simple curiosity as to how systems work," Pellaeon answered, stifling a yawn. "I am also quite bored with it all, I never dreamed it took this long for a movement to pass." He heard the woman on the other end chuckle at his last comment.

"Somehow I am not surprised," she said. "Most people of action can't stand diplomacy. If you are bored you should talk Han or Luke, they're sure to give you ideas on how to occupy your time." Pellaeon frowned; there was a sore subject.

"I think I will pass on that," Pellaeon said, adding sarcastically, "I get the distinct feeling that they don't trust me, though why I can't imagine." At least that was the feeling he got at the few meetings and receptions they had been together at. Solo seemed to hate him on site, while Skywalker watched his every move and no doubt picked his mind with his Jedi abilities, altogether making him feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.

"Well, they are not quite ready to accept the peace treaty right now. They still believe that the Empire is going to go back on their word, or at least Han does." Leia acknowledged. "With yourself being the highest ranking officer in the former Empire you are the target for all those who believe that the Empire should compensate for what they did." He heard Leia's friend say something in the background, he then recognized the red headed woman. 

She was Mara Jade, or at least, she used to be Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand. She had married Skywalker about two years ago, soon after the peace treaty had been signed. Had it really been that long since the treaty had been signed, Pellaeon thought belatedly.

"That's a comforting thought." Pellaeon muttered in reply to Leia's comment. "Any idea on how I could convince them otherwise? The council that is." If all that was needed was to soothe the feelings and convince those that were unsure that the Empire was sincere then everything might be easier than it appeared to be. Convince the people they were sincere and perhaps compensate for some of the damage that they had caused the New Republic. He suddenly felt hopeful, hopeful that the council would cast aside the ridiculous demand that the Empire compensate for the things done before Pellaeon's time.

"It's not that simple," Organa Solo's voice broke through his dreaming. "You will have to blend thousands of different beliefs into a compromise, without offending anyone. Then there is the fact that you don't have any experience in putting something like this together." Pellaeon felt the hopeful feeling slowly fade away. He had known that things wouldn't be that simple. 

"Of course," Leia continued, "You are welcome to come by my office later, I would be more than willing to help you."

"Thank you for the invitation." Pellaeon replied, starting to feel hopeful again. Help was something that he needed, had been hinting at all along, but he'd never admit it. "I think I will take you up on that."

"Fine," the voice came back. "I'll meet you near the breezeway to the High Council offices after the meeting is over, near the center fountain. Organa Solo out."

So that was that, he would accept help putting a compromise together and then assign someone else to this position. He reached over and turned the comm and privacy screen off. Finally, he thought, soon this will be over. He sat back to listen as the senators on the floor continued to rave. This he couldn't wait to turn over to someone else and with this new hope in front of him he might get rid of it that much sooner, but until then he had to work this out himself.

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Eh, looking back this isn't the best job I've done writing fanfic… though I promise it gets better… I'm just too sick and lazy to edit the other parts right now, and I'm curious as to what you ppl think… R/R ppl, and have a great day!


	2. Chapter 1 cont.

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Here is the second part of 'Ghosts of Yesterday'. It's entirely from Leia's perspective… enjoy and review!!

That was odd, Leia thought as she leaned back in her seat. Pellaeon actually had asked for help, or at least accepted it, a small miracle in itself. She had spoken to the admiral before but had came away with the impression that he was one who believed in the "if you want something done right, do it yourself". But that was true of most Imperials, former Imperials she corrected herself, they were as stubborn as tauntauns and would let their dreams fall through gaping holes to show their independence. But now the Empire was gone, Pellaeon had to see this as clearly as she did. He only wanted help to get this out of the way so things could move on, continue as though everything was normal. 

Half the senators opposed letting the Empire into the Coruscant arena without some form of penalization, while the others wanted this issue to be solved so the council could get back to other, more important business. Business that would shake the New Republic to its very core if left unattended. There was evidence that Thrawn had opened up a portion of the Unknown Regions, they had known this for two years and had yet to do anything with it.

Most of the council agreed that nothing could be done until they received more information. At the urgings of his sister and the other councilors, Luke had gone to Bastion to find that information, leaving Mara here.

Leia glanced over her shoulder at this thought. Mara was, by all standards, infuriated. She sat back in the chair and stared at the councilors on the floor disdainfully, arms crossed over her stomach in an act of defiance. Mara had wanted to go with Luke and had argued the point with him and anyone else who would listen. In the end Luke had took her aside and told her she was going to stay here, and there was not any way he would change his mind about it. Leia had been shocked that he had taken that level of authority over her. Mara was not a person who responded well to being told what she was going to do. After Luke had her immobilized Leia began to feel sorry for her. She knew it was hard for Mara to stay here as she was asked to, but Leia also knew why her brother had stopped his wife from coming with him. Visions had filled his sleep the two weeks prior to his departure, and it made Leia uneasy thinking of Mara on Bastion.

"Well, that was odd," Mara said, her voice breaking through Leia's thoughts. "You wouldn't expect that the great Admiral Pellaeon would accept help from the lowly New Republic councilors."

"That's more or less what I was thinking," Leia told her, so Mara had been listening closely. "Maybe we can form a draft of a compromise and get this business over with. We have more pressing issues than the status of the Empire in our government." Leia almost regretted saying that last, now Mara would bring up her favorite stomping grounds.

"Like sending out a mapping group to make a current chart of newly opened galaxy?" Mara asked, amusement lacing her tone.

Leia sighed, it wasn't the exact comment she had been expecting but it was close enough. At least she knew that Mara was planning on finding a niche with the mapping crew. Luke had asked Leia to take Mara with her to the council meetings, to keep her occupied so she wouldn't have all day to think up ways to get into trouble, but Mara had found trouble all the same.

"I'm not a child," Mara informed her. "You don't have to ride herd on me, personally I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't."

"I don't mean to intrude, really. It's just that Luke asked me to keep an eye on you."

"That doesn't mean to spend every waking hour of the day watching me, like I said, I am not a child," Mara spat. "Besides, Luke doesn't have any right to have his sister 'keep an eye on me'. It goes a long way towards showing how much he trusts me, doesn't he know by now that I do not break my promises?"

"It's not a matter of trust Mara, he is worried that something is going to happen to you. I don't want to see you hurt and neither does he, if you don't like that then you married the wrong person. You know how protective Luke is," Leia shot back, turning to face Mara. Great, she thought, give her more reasons to drag this out. She knew she really should try to be more discreet, but the woman just crawled under her skin sometimes. "He told me about the visions he has had, and I can't shake the feeling that going would put you in danger." Leia felt awful fighting like this, she should be able to handle the other without her getting under her skin this bad. It made her feel sick to think that she could handle her children in a calm manner and nearly had a two-person riot when trying to discuss an issue with Mara.

"I can take care of myself," Mara said at last. Leia glanced over at her and saw the other was staring at the ground. Maybe she had burnt herself out for now.

"Anyway," Leia said, changing the subject and running through her calming techniques. "What do you think that Pellaeon will come down too? You know better than I would."

"I'm not sure, I haven't been involved with them politically in any way for years," Mara said, her voice seemed relieved that the subject had changed. "Pellaeon will go as far as he has too, but he isn't going to let go of anything that was agreed to on the treaty."

Leia thought about this, she knew she couldn't expect him to go back on anything that was agreed to, it wasn't right. He seemed anxious to get into politics on Coruscant so talking him down wouldn't be hard, figuring out what was to be compromised would be. Then the other councilors would have to agree to what she and Pellaeon agreed to. She shook her head and looked back down to the platform, and a very irritated Gavrisom. She had a feeling she would be called down shortly to call the recess; things were getting out of hand. Maybe she should end it now.

"You want to do it or should I?" Mara asked, clearly interrupting her thoughts. Leia smiled so much for being discreet.

"I will." Leia answered, and with that she stood and started towards the dais, watching the reactions of those around her as she went. This business was nonsense; it should have ended months ago. She stepped up to the speaker and nodded to Gavrisom, the Calibop seemed to collapse with gratitude. 

"Members of the New Republic Senate and visiting congregations," she announced in a clear, calm voice. "We shall adjourn now for a meal recess and meet again in four standard hours. At that time I hope to have some new light to shine on this matter. Meeting adjourned."

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This part is a little better I think, not the best, but hey, this was written almost three years ago… I was young.

As always, please review!


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